Local Band Twenty30 Ready to Rock the Red Stallion

When a new band first gets together, the members have one major decision to make, and it usually isn't an easy one. Do they become a cover band, or do they stick to writing original music?

For the guys in Twenty30, the choice to play their own songs ended up being quite simple.

"Cover bands can make a lot of money," said frontman and guitarist Lyle Kelch Jr. "But we didn't want to do this for the money. We want to play our own music and find our audience that way."

The group formed in 2008 when Kelch, bassist Brian Herron, lead guitarist Chris Savidge and drummer Vinny Feliciano left their own bands to come together. Keyboardist Nick Rieders was added shortly after the release of Twenty30's debut EP Departure in July 2008.

"(Nick) added that extra atmosphere to the sound," said Kelch. "We had him come up and play one song during a show, and we really liked what he did."

Local music lovers can get taste of what critics on PhillyRockBlog.com and Philly Music Review have been raving about when Twenty30 hits the stage at the tonight. The show, starting at 9 p.m., also features bands Ghosts of Eden, Stolen Gypsy Satellite and Bamboo House.

"We put the show together, so we'll be on last," said Kelch. "It gives us a little more time to play than if we joined someone else's show."

As far as live shows go, Twenty30's calendar isn't busting out with dates. The band played some regional tours over the summer, traveling as far as New Hampshire and around the East Coast. The next show is Sept. 22 at the Legendary Dobbs in Philadelphia, then Dec. 17 at John and Peter's Place in New Hope. The light schedule was also a conscious decision made in the band's infancy.

"We could give everything up and tour ourselves into the ground and make a lot of money that way," said Kelch, recently married and living in Hatboro. "But we have other things going on in our lives. We have families and day jobs that are a little more stable. Like I said, we're not in this for the money."

The band's sound has been compared to punk/rock acts like the Deftones and Stone Temple Pilots. While Kelch writes most of the music, he stresses that it is a completely collaborative effort.

"Some of the guys have been playing for 25-30 years, where I've only been into the music for 15 years," said Kelch. "I might bring a beginning riff for a song, and then we'll all arrange around it, leaving spots open for more interpretations."

Kelch acknowledges the angry, fast and hard-hitting feel of songs like "Live it Up, Give it Up" and "Say It Like You Mean It" but points out how they end with a positive message.

"I start out with these negative images," said Kelch, "but as the song progresses, you can hear the mindset changing and turning into something positive."